Folklore of Britain and Ireland

The British Isles and Ireland has a rich diversity of folklore, stemming in part from the mix of cultural identity from region to region. They have had a turbulent history, were invaders and settlers have brought with them their own beliefs and lore, which have become amalgamated into older traditions. Some stories seem to be widespread, such as the tradition of sleeping warriors under hollow hills and the wild hunt, often incorporating local heroes.

Regarding the creatures of folklore, every county has its own variant of the fairies, and the traces of god and goddess cults from the remote past can be gleaned from some of the creatures that haunt these Isles. Black Annis of the Dane Hills in Leicestershire, has her counterpart in many places in Britain, perhaps related in some way to an ancient earth goddess.

Folklore Archive
We are in the process of collecting folklore from all the local areas within the Britain and Ireland.

A great deal of folklore and local legend has been lost because they are not passed by word of mouth as much as they used to be. We feel it is important to collect it no matter how insignificant, so that it is not lost for good. Local lore and legends are often clues to solving landscape mysteries as well as being part of the beliefs of our ancestors.

If you have information about local Devil legends, church siting legends, giant legends, local beliefs, local fairies, strange place names or any other type of folklore, we would be very interested to hear from you.